Blog Posts

Spring Sweets

In today’s post, we’re focusing on the flavors of spring. Incorporating the freshest and sweetest of spring flavors into a treat is our favorite way to celebrate the season here in Puyallup, WA. Nothing screams classic more so than lemon. We love a simple lemon bar dusted with powdered sugar as a way to enjoy that tangy taste. This recipe comes from A Latte Food . The bars are described this way, “These are a cinch to make and absolutely the embodiment of everything spring and summer in both color and taste.” Ingredients Crust 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/8 tsp salt Filling 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 Tbsp lemon zest 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup flour Topping Powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 baking pan. Mix melted butter, flour, powdered sugar, and salt together. Once it comes together, press in an even layer into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, baking powder, and flour together. Once combined, pour over crust and bake for 25 minutes, or until filling has set. Allow cooling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top each bar with a lemon slice if desired. Best when eaten at room temperature or when cold. Enjoy! Thanks for reading the Willow Hill Blog. Invite some friends over to make these with you. Or, even better, have a bake-off with all of your favorite spring sweets. Are you more of a chocolate or fruit person? Or maybe you’re somewhere in the middle. Whichever you are, we hope you enjoy making these delicious lemon bars and other recipes in your apartment soon!

Picnics in the Park

April is the perfect time of year for a picnic in the park because we’re starting to enjoy that warmer weather as the summer season approaches. Take some time to carve out an afternoon or evening at a local Puyallup, WA area park and enjoy eating in the open air. Our Willow Hill Blog has some tips on what to eat for a picnic near or far from your apartment. A picnic can be as simple as picking up a loaf of French bread, a package of sliced cheese, a cluster of grapes, and your favorite beverage at the grocery store on your way home — no utensils needed. There is something rather fun and freeing about ripping chunks of bread directly off the loaf, after all. On the other hand, spending some time in your fabulous apartment kitchen to make a delicious, old-fashioned, satisfying meal of fried chicken, potato salad, fruit, and dinner rolls is a great way to welcome in the warmer months. These foods can be packed up and taken to the park for everyone to enjoy. Be sure to take a chocolate cake for dessert. We found recipes for fried chicken , potato salad , and chocolate cake on the Cutestuff Cooks blog. Another take on picnic fare is the brown bag staple of sandwiches, chips, veggies, fruit, and a dessert of some sort. For a change from the ham and swiss on rye, give these picnic sandwich ideas from Martha Stewart a once-over. Don’t forget the paper plates, utensils, cups, and a tablecloth! Once the food is planned, the next step is deciding where to go. If you don’t have time to prepare a picnic, simply stop at your favorite deli and pick up food to take to the park. The point is to eat outdoors and enjoy time with friends and family. Head out soon and enjoy a picnic at a local park. Where is your favorite place to picnic? Share in the comments below.

Read a Joke and Smile

We’re excited to share one of our favorite jokes with residents of our Willow Hill apartment community in Puyallup, WA. One morning, a young boy wakes up to find a red tricycle outside his bedroom door. “You’ve been so good lately,” says his parents, “we wanted to give you something special.” “Neat!” says the boy, and he takes it outside and rides off down the street. At this precise moment, an older man wakes up and finds a beautiful red Porsche in his garage with a note that says, “Happy Birthday!” Elated, the man hops in and takes it for a spin down the street. As he’s driving, the man notices a young boy on a red tricycle parked at a traffic light. The man pulls up next to him, leans over to open the passenger door, and asks the boy, “You want to race?” The boy turns his head slowly. With a big grin, he nods and taps the bell on his handlebars. “Yeah,” the boy shouts excitedly. “I wanna race!” The man smiles, closes the door, and sits back in his chair. As the light turns green, he barely presses down on the gas, lets the kid take the lead for a few seconds, and then slams his foot down. Laughing, the man smiles as he zooms past the kid and leaves him in the dust. “Well,” says the man, “that was fun.” All of a sudden the kid whizzes past the Porsche. Surprised, the man looks at his speedometer. “30 miles per hour… What?!” He presses down on the gas pedal further, catches up to the kid — his face is forward, hands clinging to the handlebars, and his feet rotating on the pedals super fast. As the man eventually passes the kid, he watches the tricycle appear smaller and smaller in his rearview mirror. But suddenly — ZOOM! The kid blows past the Porsche again, this time at over 50 miles per hour. By now the man is stunned, slams his foot down, and passes the kid; he’s now the size of a speck of dust in the rear-view mirror. But sure enough, the kid flies past the Porsche a third time — hands clinging to the tricycle that’s literally left the ground, the kid with an open mouth and eyes; the man can’t believe it. Surely they’re going faster than 80 miles an hour. Eventually, they both come to a stop at a traffic light. The man pulls up next to the kid, lowers the passenger window, and says, “Kid! You gotta tell me. I have to know what type of engine you got on that thing!” With his hands clinging to the handlebars and his whole body in tremors, the kid turns to look at the man. “M-m-mister!” he says, with a trembling mouth. “M-m-my s-suspenders are caught in your door!” Laughter is a great way to improve your health ; it relaxes the body and burns calories. Share your favorite joke in the comments!

Swimming Pool Fun

Warm weather is an invitation for residents to head over to our apartment community pool at Willow Hill in Puyallup, WA. Why not get a group together to play some pool games? We’re sharing a list of games that you can enjoy in the swimming pool right outside your apartment. Ping Pong Scramble For this game, you’ll need 40 ping pong balls and four different colored markers. Create four sets of ping pong balls by marking each ball with a colored dot (4 colors, 10 balls for each set). Divide players into four teams and line up on the edge of the pool. Drop all 40 ping pong balls into the pool. On “go” players jump into the pool and collect the ping pong balls for their team. The first team to collect all ten balls wins. Octopus One person begins the game as the “octopus” while all the other players are the “fish” swimming in the pool. The fish try to make it to the other side of the pool without being caught in the octopus’ grip. When fish are caught, they link arms with the octopus and help them catch more fish. The last person to be caught becomes the next octopus. Noodle Jousting Since their invention, pool noodles have always been used for jousting. There’s no need for a horse, pole, and shield when a styrofoam noodle can do a fine job on its own. The game is largely self-explanatory, with participants acting as medieval knights trying to knock the others off their noodles. The last remaining noodle rider becomes King or Queen of the Pool. F-I-S-H This game is like a water version of the classic basketball game, H-O-R-S-E. The objective is to copy the actions of your opponent in the water. For example, if one player does an underwater handstand for five seconds, the next player has to match it or get a letter. The first player to spell out F-I-S-H loses. Note: You can do each action only once — no repeats! Are you excited to jump in the pool and play some of these exciting games? What are you waiting for? Get on that swimsuit and have fun!

Tennis Ball Massages

At the Willow Hill Apartments, we encourage a healthy lifestyle. When it’s warm, it’s easy to stay active — spend time at our playground, play on the tennis court... But the cold weather can make staying active difficult. Today on our blog, we’re sharing a few indoor massages that you can perform using a tennis ball. You might not be getting out on the court in Puyallup, WA anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of owning a tennis ball. Foot Massage Had a long day on your feet? This is the perfect way to refresh your tired muscles. Simply place one or more tennis balls on the floor. Take off your shoes and place one foot on the tennis balls, slowly transferring your body weight as you massage the surface of your foot. Just be sure to be careful that you don’t trip! Upper Back Massage Sitting for extended periods of time can cause your neck and upper back to tighten. A great solution is to place a tennis ball on the floor. Lie on top of it so that it’s just under the upper-back area. Then move around. You’ll likely find trigger points which cause some pain. If you find one, stay on it and breathe deeply. The pain will soon go away. Then continue until you find another one. Neck Massage This is a simple one. When lying down, place two tennis balls into a sock and put it high up on your neck so that one ball is on each side of your spine. As you close your eyes, breathe deeply for five to ten minutes. You’ll be surprised how well your mind refreshes. Side Shoulder Massage Place a tennis ball between your shoulder and a wall, and then move your shoulder up and down. This simple practice is a great way to loosen up any tight pains you might feel on your shoulders. What massages do you enjoy in your apartment? Comment below and let us know if any of these worked for you!

Decorate

A few times out of the year, we’ll feature some decorating tips. So, that’s what we’re doing today. Whether you’ve lived at Willow Hill for a while or are just moving in, make your apartment feel like you by decorating! We’re featuring a few of our favorite ways to decorate apartments in Puyallup, WA. Calming Colors Breathe deep and calm down. Life can be stressful. It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life. Coming home to calming colors is a great way to let go of your stress as soon as you walk through the door. Incorporate calming colors into your apartment with your decor. Paint your kitchen table blue, lavender, or green. Buy throw pillows, curtains, and comforters in your favorite calming color. House Beautiful has a slideshow of 16 Paint Colors That Give a Room a Relaxing Vibe . Add Texture Add a little interest into your rooms by mixing textures. Put a functional wood coffee table on top of a faux fur rug. Layer linen curtains with a gauzy, breezy sheer curtain on top. There are plenty of ways to mix textures to add interest to your room. When summer rolls around, strip your decor down so that everything feels light and breezy. In the winter, add warmth to your apartment with rugs, heavy curtains, comforters, and more. You can find brilliant area rugs in wool, shag, and flatweave at Target. Organize Organizing your apartment home can be the best way to add some personality to your apartment. Don’t believe us? It’s true. Organize your stuff in a unique way. Form books you’ve already read into a side table. Display your impressive record collection on the wall. Use ladder shelves to store your books , vases, knick-knacks, and movies. Do you have any decorating tips that you think we should try? Share them in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!